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The statistics in this chapter have been obtained from the Department of Education and Skills, and the State Examination Commission. Results from the CSO’s Quarterly National Household Survey (QNHS) on Educational Attainment are also included. The data includes details of participation in and expenditure on first, second and third level education.
| 7.1a Persons aged 15-64 years classified by the highest level of education attained | ||
| Thousands | ||
| Highest education level attained | 2012 | 2013 |
| Males | ||
| Primary or below | 172.8 | 159.1 |
| Lower secondary | 280.1 | 256.8 |
| Higher secondary | 379.9 | 381.6 |
| Post leaving certificate | 184.3 | 187.2 |
| Third level non-honours degree | 158.9 | 165.4 |
| Third level honours degree or above | 301.9 | 311.4 |
| Other/Not stated | 31.9 | 37.1 |
| Total | 1,509.8 | 1,498.6 |
| Females | ||
| Primary or below | 152.1 | 129.3 |
| Lower secondary | 226.4 | 215.6 |
| Higher secondary | 380.8 | 376.8 |
| Post leaving certificate | 173.9 | 167.7 |
| Third level non-honours degree | 223.6 | 235.3 |
| Third level honours degree or above | 345.6 | 358.6 |
| Other/Not stated | 29.5 | 36.1 |
| Total | 1,531.8 | 1,519.4 |
| All Persons | ||
| Primary or below | 324.9 | 288.4 |
| Lower secondary | 506.5 | 472.5 |
| Higher secondary | 760.6 | 758.5 |
| Post leaving certificate | 358.2 | 354.9 |
| Third level non-honours degree | 382.5 | 400.6 |
| Third level honours degree or above | 647.5 | 670.0 |
| Other/Not stated | 61.3 | 73.1 |
| TOTAL | 3,041.6 | 3,018.0 |
| Note: A break in continuity has occurred in the Educational Attainment series resulting from changes to take account of the new ISCED 2011 classification and, therefore, data from 2014 is not directly comparable with earlier years. | ||
| Source: CSO | ||
| 7.1b Persons aged 15-64 years classified by the highest level of education attained | |||
| Thousands | |||
| Highest education level attained | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
| Males | |||
| Primary or below | 154.8 | 136.5 | 145.1 |
| Lower secondary | 264.3 | 261.9 | 254.9 |
| Higher secondary | 382.6 | 385.3 | 381.8 |
| Post secondary non-tertiary | 182.7 | 167.0 | 178.6 |
| Third level non-honours degree | 156.9 | 193.0 | 190.1 |
| Third level honours degree or above | 302.0 | 289.2 | 293.9 |
| Other/Not Stated | 47.1 | 49.4 | 47.1 |
| Total | 1,490.5 | 1,482.4 | 1,491.5 |
| Females | |||
| Primary or below | 133.3 | 121.1 | 116.4 |
| Lower secondary | 207.9 | 211.1 | 208.2 |
| Higher secondary | 381.2 | 373.3 | 364.6 |
| Post secondary non-tertiary | 180.4 | 166.3 | 174.8 |
| Third level non-honours degree | 218.4 | 263.0 | 265.8 |
| Third level honours degree or above | 352.6 | 335.6 | 345.5 |
| Other/Not Stated | 42.9 | 48.0 | 44.8 |
| Total | 1,516.7 | 1,518.4 | 1,520.2 |
| All Persons | |||
| Primary or below | 288.1 | 257.7 | 261.5 |
| Lower secondary | 472.2 | 473.1 | 463.1 |
| Higher secondary | 763.7 | 758.6 | 746.4 |
| Post secondary non-tertiary | 363.1 | 333.3 | 353.4 |
| Third level non-honours degree | 375.4 | 456.0 | 455.9 |
| Third level honours degree or above | 654.6 | 624.8 | 639.4 |
| Other/Not Stated | 90.0 | 97.4 | 92.0 |
| TOTAL | 3,007.2 | 3,000.8 | 3,011.7 |
| Note: A break in continuity has occurred in the Educational Attainment series resulting from changes to take account of the new ISCED 2011 classification and, therefore, data from 2014 is not directly comparable with earlier years. | |||
| Source: CSO | |||
In 2016, 36.4% of those aged 15 to 64 years had a third level qualification. 72.9% of all persons aged between 15 and 64 years attained education levels of higher secondary level or above. Under 10% (8.7%) of persons aged 15 to 64 years had not progressed beyond primary level education.
| 7.2 Persons in full-time education by level | |||
| Number | |||
| School year | First level | Second level2 | Third level |
| 1965/66 | 504,865 | 142,983 | 20,698 |
| 1970/71 | 520,129 | 197,142 | 24,496 |
| 1975/76 | 550,078 | 270,956 | 33,148 |
| 1980/81 | 568,364 | 300,601 | 41,928 |
| 1985/86 | 576,576 | 338,207 | 55,088 |
| 1990/91 | 552,528 | 345,941 | 69,988 |
| 1995/96 | 485,923 | 373,665 | 102,662 |
| 2000/01 | 444,782 | 349,274 | 126,300 |
| 2001/02 | 447,446 | 344,720 | 131,812 |
| 2002/03 | 448,754 | 343,596 | 137,323 |
| 2003/04 | 451,755 | 341,724 | 143,271 |
| 2004/05 | 455,572 | 339,128 | 143,546 |
| 2005/06 | 462,811 | 335,134 | 145,287 |
| 2006/07 | 477,078 | 336,955 | 149,502 |
| 2007/08 | 490,838 | 338,682 | 148,014 |
| 2008/09 | 501,448 | 344,893 | 152,686 |
| 2009/101 | 510,483 | 354,235 | 164,843 |
| 2010/11 | 514,852 | 359,653 | 169,209 |
| 2011/12 | 521,677 | 363,136 | 166,574 |
| 2012/13 | 531,973 | 367,372 | 168,640 |
| 2013/14 | 540,232 | 371,211 | 173,462 |
| 2014/15 | 548,542 | 376,289 | 182,623 |
| 2015/16 | 557,107 | 381,615 | 188,178 |
| 1Revised | |||
| 2 Includes Post Leaving Certificate courses. | |||
| Source: Department of Education and Skills | |||
| School year | First level | Second level | Third level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005/06 | 462811 | 335134 | 145287 |
| 2006/07 | 477078 | 336955 | 149502 |
| 2007/08 | 490838 | 338682 | 148014 |
| 2008/09 | 501448 | 344893 | 152686 |
| 2009/10 | 510483 | 354235 | 164843 |
| 2010/11 | 514852 | 359653 | 169209 |
| 2011/12 | 521677 | 363136 | 166574 |
| 2012/13 | 531973 | 367372 | 168640 |
| 2013/14 | 540232 | 371211 | 173462 |
| 2014/15 | 548542 | 376289 | 182623 |
| 2015/16 | 557107 | 381615 | 188178 |
The number of students in first level education totalled 557,107 in 2015/16. This is an increase of over 8,560 over 2014/15 and is just under 97% of the 576,576 figure recorded in 1985/86. The number at this level has fallen substantially since then, but has risen since 2001/02.
In the case of second level students, the participation rate rose strongly from 2005/06 until 2015/16, with 381,615 persons in full-time second level education in the academic year 2015/16.
There were 188,178 persons in full-time third level education in 2015/16, an increase of nearly 910% since 1965/66.
| 7.3 Voted Expenditure1 by sector for financial year ended 31st December 2015 | |||
| €m | |||
| Sector | Current | Capital | Total |
| Gross expenditure | |||
| First, Second and Early Years' Education | 6,213.3 | 7.4 | 6,220.7 |
| Second level & further education grants & services | 326.6 | 3.0 | 329.6 |
| Higher Education | 1,484.2 | 37.6 | 1,521.8 |
| Capital Services | 77.7 | 576.9 | 654.6 |
| Gross total | 8,101.8 | 624.9 | 8,726.7 |
| Deduct total appropriations-in-aid | 545.7 | 3.1 | 548.8 |
| Total net expenditure | 7,556.1 | 621.8 | 8,177.9 |
| 1Voted Expenditure refers to the ordinary services of the Department of Education and Skills, the monies for which are voted by the Dáil and included under Vote 26 of the 2015 Revised Estimates for Public Services. | |||
| Source: Department of Education and Skills | |||
In 2015, total gross expenditure on education by the State was €8,726.7m. Expenditure on first, second and early years' education was €6,220.7m, 71% of the total gross expenditure on education.
Further information: Department of Education and Skills 2015/2016 Annual Report (666KB)
| 7.4 Second level State examination candidates | |||||||||||||||
| Number | |||||||||||||||
| State Examination | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 20161 | 20172 | |
| Junior Certificate | 56,864 | 56,640 | 57,784 | 57,287 | 55,940 | 55,557 | 56,086 | 56,841 | 58,798 | 59,822 | 60,328 | 59,521 | 60,248 | 61,654 | |
| Male | 28,495 | 28,627 | 29,273 | 28,812 | 28,308 | 28,361 | 28,523 | 29,182 | 29,907 | 30,553 | 31,051 | 30,308 | 30,576 | 31,305 | |
| Female | 28,369 | 28,013 | 28,511 | 28,475 | 27,632 | 27,196 | 27,563 | 27,659 | 28,891 | 29,269 | 29,277 | 29,213 | 29,672 | 30,349 | |
| Leaving Certificate3 | 58,742 | 57,391 | 54,111 | 53,893 | 55,543 | 57,461 | 57,837 | 57,539 | 55,816 | 55,577 | 56,989 | 57,931 | 58,465 | 58,543 | |
| Male | 28,059 | 27,189 | 25,832 | 25,730 | 27,015 | 28,256 | 28,855 | 28,720 | 28,191 | 28,133 | 28,751 | 28,762 | 29,421 | 29,395 | |
| Female | 30,683 | 30,202 | 28,279 | 28,163 | 28,528 | 29,205 | 28,982 | 28,819 | 27,625 | 27,444 | 28,238 | 29,169 | 29,044 | 29,148 | |
| All examination candidates | 115,606 | 114,031 | 111,895 | 111,180 | 111,483 | 113,018 | 113,923 | 114,380 | 114,614 | 115,399 | 117,317 | 117,452 | 118,713 | 120,197 | |
| Male | 56,554 | 55,816 | 55,105 | 54,542 | 55,323 | 56,617 | 57,378 | 57,902 | 58,098 | 58,686 | 59,802 | 59,070 | 59,997 | 60,700 | |
| Female | 59,052 | 58,215 | 56,790 | 56,638 | 56,160 | 56,401 | 56,545 | 56,478 | 56,516 | 56,713 | 57,515 | 58,382 | 58,716 | 59,497 | |
| 1Revised with final numbers | |||||||||||||||
| 2Provisional data subject to revision | |||||||||||||||
| 3Includes Leaving Certificate Applied candidates | |||||||||||||||
| Source: Department of Education and Skills (2004-2015)/State Exams Commission (2016 onwards) | |||||||||||||||
In the academic year 2016/17, there were 120,197 second level examination candidates (60,700 males and 59,547 females). There were 58,543 Leaving Certificate examination candidates, an increase of 0.1% on 2015/16.
Current provisional data: State Exam Commission website
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